


The Wolf and The Crow

by lemon_powered



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2016-10-02
Packaged: 2018-08-19 00:43:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8182394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemon_powered/pseuds/lemon_powered
Summary: In a small little valley, there was once was a wolf and a crow.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first complete story in general. Please enjoy!
> 
> This is un-beta'd. I hope that there aren't that many mistakes.

     The crow rambles on about his neighbors. “They keep taking all the food for themselves, never leaving any for me. One day, the old lass they steal from is going to call her son, and he hunts. They won’t be my problem for much longer. Now the sparrows, let me tell you about them...” The golden eyes of the wolf continue to watch the gossiping bird sitting on the rock in front of him just a foot away. He could stop him easily, just scoot over a head and clamp down on the bird’s fat torso. But he doesn’t. He sits, and listens, and hears every squawk the crow makes about the sparrows getting the good worms because the get up early. The wind softly sweeps over them, shuffling the wolf’s fur, ruffling the crow’s feathers.

     “You know what, Wolf.” The wolf grunts softly. “You could just scare away those nasty sparrows and the other crows. They would definitely stop bothering me if they knew that I was friends with a big scary wolf. Then I could get some decent food for once.” The wolf nods.

     “Anything for a friend.” He says.

     So the crow flies high above and wolf creeps along to the trees where the other birds live. The wolf growls, standing on his hind legs, scratching his front paws on the bark of the tree. The greedy crows and the early-rising sparrows, along with the bluejays who are “just too blue” fly away in fear. The wolf creeps back to the woods and the crow nicks a few bits from each of his absent neighbors’ nests.

     The crow comes back the next day and asks the wolf to do the same and the wolf says yes. And it continues for a month, the crow will ask the wolf and he’ll say yes.

     One day, the wolf isn’t near the rock that they always talk by, so the crow circles around a few times before landing and waiting. Only after a few seconds, the crows flies back home just as the wolf limps towards their meeting spot. He whimpers as he sees the crow fly away. The crow comes back the next day and sees the wolf sleeping. He lands and pecks at the wolf’s ears.

     “You lazy hound, wake up!” The crow caws. One tired, gold eye peeks out at the black bird. “Those nasty sparrows are back; I need you to get rid of them. Come on! We haven’t got all day!” The crow waddles away before taking off into the air. He reaches his nest but the wolf hasn’t followed him and he’s disappointed.

     He goes back the next day and finds the wolf asleep again. Instead of landing, the crow turns around and returns home. This happens for the few days, when one day the crow is caught by the old lass’s hunting son. The crow cries and cries and wonders if anyone hears him. The crows, the sparrows, and the bluejays all went away, finding new nests away from him. He cries because he’s alone. But then the wolf creeps out of the woods, growling at the son of the old lass. His white fangs were bared at the human. In fear of the beast, the son pulls out his rifle and shoots the wolf. The crow caws.

     “You idiot!” But it’s said with the crow’s kindness. He loves the wolf. The wolf has been nothing but kind to him and he’s been so rude and demanding. The son lets go of the crow to protect himself from the wolf. The wolf had fell to his side, blood pooling beside him. The crow runs up to the wolf’s face and burying his beak in the soft fur. “You can’t die, wolf. What if I get new neighbors? Who will scare them away?” The crow asks.

     “You’ll just have to live with them. You have a kind heart, you just need to show it.” The wolf’s eyes flutter shut. “Take care of yourself, crow.” His breathing slows and stops.

     “No, No! Wolf! Don’t leave me. You're the one that should live! Not me... Don’t go away. I’ll miss you.” The crow sobs into the wolf’s fur. “I love you!”

     The old lass had come out to see what all the commotion was about. She steps towards the crow and the wolf, ignoring her son’s warnings.

     “Poor, sweet crow.” She says, her knees cracking as she squats. “Have you lost someone you love?” The crow cries and cries. Old lass sweeps up the crow in her palms. “I can bring back your loved one but you have to do something for me in return.” This peaks the sorrow-filled crow’s interest. “But what will you give me?” The crow indicates himself with the tip of his wing. “You give your own life for your loved one’s?” The crow nods. “Then it is done.” The old lass holds her hand over the wolf and heals his injuries but something is different with the crow. His legs are long and pale, and he has arms, not wings, and his feathers are all gone, and he feels incredibly naked for many reasons.

     “Mister Crow, you will become my servant from now on. If you were still a crow you would be of no use to me; you are human from now on.” The old lass explains. She hands the former bird a cloak to wrap himself in. “Come inside. It is getting dark and cold.” She ushers him inside and the wolf creeps back into the woods, not remembering what has just transpired.

     The crow is given clothes and food and the bed closest to the fireplace to keep him warm. When he woke up, he was taught how to clean the dishes, sweep and mop, where the firewood was and how to chop it properly, and how to chop up the ingredients for stew. The next day the old lass taught him a few thing and again the next day and the day after that, and he rarely complains because of what she had done for him. He is also given a new name, Corvus. Soon enough he was able to tend to the house all by himself, and the old lass sat in the garden, knitting and sewing in the warm sunlight, making new clothes for Corvus.

     Unfortunately the old lass grew very ill. On her deathbed, she tells Corvus. “The house is yours. Take good care of it. If any stranger need a place to sleep don’t be shy and share your stew. Take care of yourself, Corvus.” Her breathing slows to a stop. Corvus cries and cries and buries his head into the blanket. Her body is turned to ash, and spread throughout her garden, now Corvus’s garden, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Corvus now takes walks in the evenings to where he and the wolf meet. The rock that he had stood on looks so small now. But today, the grass looks it had just been laid in. The flattened grass made a familiar shape. The sun sank into the Earth again as Corvus made his way back home. He brews the stew, and lights the front lamp.

     There was a knock on the door as Corvus stirs his supper. “Coming.” He places the ladle on the counter before answering the door. A man as stark naked as a baby entering the world stood in the doorway, his hands covering his modesty.

     “I... I don’t know what happened to me.” He stammers. His hair was long and a blondish white with a few streaks of brown. His eyes were bright and brilliant and such a wonderful golden color.

     “Wolf?” The naked man’s eyes light up with remembrance. Before any more words are uttered, the former wolf hugs the former crow.

     “I love you too.” Exclaims the former wolf, and Corvus, the former crow, cries and cries, and he is happy because he is loved by the man he loves.


End file.
